Means for filling receptacles or the like with plastic, granular, or pulverulent materials



April SW, 1935.

J. J. DOWLING RECEPTACLES OR THE LIKE WIT Filed May 11, 1933 MEANS FORFILLING PLASTIC, GRANULAR, OR PULVERULENT MATERIALS um T 33 contain aconstant volume of the material.

Patented Apr. 30, 1935 UNITED T'i'ES PATENT OFFEQ John Joseph Bowling,Rathgar, Irish Free State Application May 11, 1933, Serial No. 670,568In Great Britain February 3, 1933 17 Claims.

This invention relates to means for filling receptacles or the like withplastic, granular,- or pulverulent material in those cases where it isessential that each filling of the "receptacle shall To ensure this itis necessary that the material be packed in the receptacle or the likein a uniform manner so as to ensure intimate contact between the sidesof the receptacle and the material and between the particles of the'material themselves.

In employing electrical methods for testing materials, it is necessaryto place such material between two metal plates which are incorporatedin the electrical circuit. Since the space between such plates isgenerally small compared. with their diameter, it is found in practicevery difiicult to pack the material into this narrow space in a uniformmanner and. at the same time ensure intimate contact between it and theplates.

Oneof the objects of the invention is to devise a new means for fillingreceptaclesin which the material will be evenly and compactlydistributed in said. receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to devise a new means for fillingreceptacles in which a constant volume of the material is always evenlyand compactly placed in the receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a receptacle which can bequickly and easily filled.

A further object of the invention is to devise means whereby thereceptacle can be quickly and easily emptied after being filled.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby thereceptacle can be quickly and easily connected in an electric circuit.

One form of the invention will now be described with reference to theaccompa ying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a semi-schematic side View of one form of the invention. 7

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View of the receptacle in its preferredform.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of the top surface of the preferredreceptacle.

Figure l is a vertical section taken througha modified form ofreceptacle.

Figure 5- shows a plan View of a spacing memher, and

Figures 6 and 7 show vertical sections through two other forms ofreceptacles.

V In carrying the invention into efiect according to one form as givenby way of example as applied to the testing of materials by theelectrical capacity or resistance method a metal disc l is provided witha spindle 2 which is mounted in suitable vertical bearings 3 (preferablyball) so that the disc rotates in a horizontal plane. Between thebearings a worm wheel it may be provided and secured to the shaft 2. Aworm l i engages with the worm wheel and drives the verticalshaftthrough the agency of an electric motor or other prime mover l2.The assembly can conveniently be mounted on a base is. Vertically abovethe disc I is mounted a second metal disc 4 which is separated from thefirst by a peripheral ring 5 of suitable insulating material such asebonite or the like. A receptacle is thus formed having a constantvolume chamber 6. The upper disc is provided with a central aperturewhich is surrounded by an upstanding collar forming a funnel shapedopening I the diameter of which increases towards the interior of thereceptacle. Into this opening a fixed funnel projects, the small end orwhich co-acts with the opening in the upper disc and into this funnel isplaced the material which is required to be packed uniformly in theconstant volume chamber.

In the preferred form shown in Figure 2 the insulating ring 5 has anannular portion removed from its upper surface to form a seat for thetop disc 4 as shown.v The lower disc 5 is provided withan upstandingflange 8 which closely fits the outer periphery of the ring. The ring issecured to the flange against rotation by one or more screws 9. Althoughonly a low speed of rotation, for example from 350 to 500 revolutionsper minute, may be employed for the discs, it has been found that, inthe case of an 8 inch diameter disc, when the material to be tested isfed into the receptacle, the pressure of the material due to. thecentrifugal force, is sufficient to lift off the upper disc 4 unless thesame be secured in position. Accordingly a number of spring fasteners Mare provided which. are secured to the upturned flange 8, preferably bymeans of screws or pins. The end of the clip which is secured by the pinit is preferably pivotally mounted to the pin so that when it is desiredto remove the upper disc t, it is only necessary-to swing the clips l4about their pivots 55- clear of the disc 4 when the latter can bereadily removed and the contents of the chamher 6 emptied. The free endsof the clips are provided with pads Ma of insulating material in orderto prevent a short circuit between the two discs.

In order to facilitate still further the discharging of the contents,the lower disc I is made quickly separable from the driving shaft 2.This is most conveniently arranged by providing a boss on the discasshown and having .a conical re- 55 cess i! therein. The upper end ofthe shaft 2 also has a conically formed male portion E8 to fit therecess. No other securing means has been found necessary between thedriving and driven parts.

In order to secure the disc 4 and insulating ring 5 against relativerotation a pin l9 having a threaded upper part, ,is secured in the disc4 while a plain lower portion of the pin fits into a hole formed in theinsulating ring. Thus after the disc l has been removed it can readilybe replaced by depositing it on its seat on the insulating ring 4, itonly being necessary to see that the end of pin i9 registers correctlywith hole 29 in the ring. The disc is then further secured in positionby swinging the ends of the spring clips I into position over and incontact with disc 4.

Suitable electrical connectionsmay be made to the discs so as toincorporate them in the appropriate electrical circuit employed. A mostconvenient method of doing this has been illustrated in Figure 1 inwhich a verticalrod 2| of any suitable material is secured at one end tothe base plate 13. The upper end is secured in a recess in a block offibre or other insulating material 22. To upper and lower surfaces ofthis block are secured spring contact members or brush arms 23, one ofwhich projects over the top disc 4 and the lower one projecting underthe lower disc I. Both of these projecting members contact with theirrespective discs as near to the centres of the discs as possible inorder to avoid the securing clips !4 and fastening pins l9 as theytravel round with the receptacle. Circuit connections are made at 24 and24a as shown. It is to be understood that the tests can be carried outwhether the receptacle is rotating or stationary, although moresatisfactory results are obtained with the receptacle stationary. Inorder that the disc 4 can still be readily removed, the upper springcontact 23 may be pivotally mounted as at 2 3 on the block 22, so thatit 'can readily be swung horizontally clear of the disc 4. Alternativelythe block 22 may be pivotally mounted on the upper end of the rod 2!, oragain the rod 2i may be pivotally mounted in the base 13, so that bothcontact members 23 can be swung out of the way. 7

In operation the receptacle is spun round at a uniform speed and thematerial is slowly poured into the fixed funnel which delivers to theopening 1' in the disc. The particles of material are immediately fiungoutwardly by the centrifugal force and are thus packed tightly anduniformly into the constant volume chamber 6 until it is completelyfilled.

According to another form of the invention the top and bottom plates 25of the receptacle are made conical instead of disc like with theirapices pointing upwards so that the constant volume chamber 25a has aconical shape. The

material when fed thereto through funnel shaped opening 1 fallsdownwards by gravity and at the same time is flung outwards by thecentrifugal force. The two conical members 25 are very conveniently heldapart by three or more symmetrically arranged insulating members 26secured by suitable means, such as screws 27a, at the lower extremitiesof the two cones respectively, and serving to hold the conical membersin fixed relationship. The lower cone is provided with a verticalspindle 27 threaded at its upper end therein and mounted in suitableanti-friction bearings or as previously shown in Figure 1, and a disclike member 28 is slidably mounted about the spindle 27 below the conesso that it can be moved vertically up or down to close or open theannular space or chamber 25 between the two cones. The disc like member28 may be pressed upwards against the two cones to keep the chamberclosed by a spring (not shown) or other means and a forked lever or thelike may be provided to co-act with a groove or channel 29 cut in a boss30 provided upon the lower face of the disc like member so that it maybe lowered to empty the chamber of its contents. The boss 30 is drilledso as to fit closely round the shaft 27 and act as a guide for the disc28. The disc 28 is made of insulating material so as not to provide ashort circuit between the conical members 24. Where the outer peripheryof the disc meets the outer edge of the upper cone 24, smooth surfacesare provided so that a good seal will result and in the case ofpulverulent material there will be no leakage of the material at thispoint.

It is preferable that the spacing members 26, be of somewhat ellipticalformation as shown in the plan view of Figure 5 and that the longestaxis of this elliptical member be arranged in line with the apices ofthe cones so that a minimum of surface area will be facing the directionof flow of the material and will provide the least possible surface formaterial to become lodged on. It will be appreciated that any unevendistribution of material on these spacing members might lead to unevendistribution of the material generally in the chamber 25.

Brushes may be provided as shown for passing electric current from thetop through the material to be tested to the lower cone and the shaft21. V

In operation the material to be tested is placed in the annular chamber25 while the two cones are rotating at a moderately high speed. Theelectrical test is then conducted either while the receptacle isrotating or when it has become stationary. In order to empty the chamberthe disc like member 28 is lowered while the receptacle is rotating andthe contents are expelled by centrifugal force.

In another form, shown in Figure 6, fiat discs 32, as used in the firstmethod described, may be used in conjunction with a peripheral'sealingring 33 and driving shaft 27, the ring having an inwardly turned flange34 resting and supporting the ring on the periphery of the top disc 32.The ring may be manually lifted while the receptacle is rotating so asto discharge the contents by centrifugal force. Alternatively the ring33, which should be made of insulating material, may be pressed upwardlyby spring means so that its flange 34 rests on the periphery of-thelower disc 32. A boss if desired may be provided to slide on the shaft21 as in the arrangement shown in Figure 4, so that the flange can bemoved to and from its sealing position by a forked lever working in agroove.

Insulating and spacing blocks 25 are provided and shaped as shown inFigure 5 and arranged so that there will be the least possibility of themoving material becoming lodged on the inner surfaces of the blocks. Inthis modification, since the receptacle becomes substantially selfdischarging, the shaft 2l' may be permanently sesured to the lower disc32 as it will be unnecessary to remove the receptacle from the shaft forthe purpose of discharging it. The usual filling orifice 1 is shown asbefore. Brushes or spring contact members can be arranged in the'samemanner as was done in either of the arrangements shown in Figures 2 or 4for making connections to an electric testing circuit, depending uponthe type of sealing member used.

In a somewhat simpler form the device could be arranged as shown inFigure 7, in which the receptacle consists entirely of the two discs 38,separated by an insulating, sealing and spacing ring 39. The lower disc38 may be arranged to be supported on the upper conical end of a drivingshaft asshown in Figure 2, a boss l6 being provided having a conicalrecess l1 therein. In this modification it would be necessary to makethe top disc 38 suiiiciently heavy to withstand the pressure of thematerial within the receptacle so that it will not be lifted from itsposition on the sealing ring. If desired set-pins 4! may be providedand'secured permanently in the lower disc 38. Apertures would then beprovided in the sealing and spacing ring 39 and the top disc 38, so thatthe ends of the set-pins 4| would project into the apertures in theperiphery of the disc 38. In this way relative rotation betweenthe'three members would be prevented upon the commencement of rotationof the receptacle. In this arrangement the receptacle would be liftedoff the driving shaft and the three members, i. e., the two discs andthe sealing, spacing, and insulating members, separated for removing thecontents of ;he receptacle. Electrical connections would pref erably bemade as in the arrangement shown in Figure 2.

Doubtless many other forms and modifications will become apparent tothose skilled in the art without departing from the scope of theinvention.

What I claim is:

l. A receptacle rotatable about a vertical axis comprising incombination two super-posed members suitably spaced apart and composedof conducting material; a filling aperture centrally disposed on theupper of said super-posed members; sealing means composed of insulatingmaterial arranged at the peripheries of said super-posed members; andmeans for rotating said receptacle.

2. A receptacle rotatable about a vertical axis comprising incombination two super-posed members; spacing means holding apart saidsuperposed members; a filling aperture centrally disposed upon the upperof said super-posed members; means at the peripheries of saidsuper-posed members for sealing said members; means for readilydischarging the contents from said receptacle; and means for rotatingsaid receptacle.

3. A receptacle rotatable about a vertical axis as claimed in claim 2 inwhich the super-posed members are composed of conducting material andthe spacing and sealing means are composed of insulating material.

4. A receptacle mounted so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis andcomprising in combination two super-posed members; a filling apertureprovided in the centre of the upper member; spacing means for holdingapart and securing together said super-posed members; sealing means atthe peripheries of the super-posed members; said sealing means beingremovable from the sealing position for readily discharging the contentsof the receptacle.

5. A receptacle as claimed in claim 4 in which the super-posed membersare composed of conducting material and the spacing and sealing meansare composed of electrical insulating material.

6. A receptacle mounted so as to be rotatable about a vertical axiscomprising the combination of two super-posed disc-like members suitablyspaced apart; a filling aperture provided in the centre of the upperdisc-like member; sealing means at the peripheries of the disc-likemembers, said disc-like members being separable for readily dischargingthe contents of the receptacle.

'7. A receptacle as claimed in claim 6 in which the super-posed membersare composed of conducting material and said sealing means is com posedof insulating material.

8. A receptacle rotatable about a vertical axis as claimed in claim 6 inwhich the sealing means also acts as spacing means holding apart saidsuper-posed members.

9. A receptacle rotatable about a vertical axis comprising incombination means for rotating the receptacle; two super-posed memberssuitably spaced apart and composed of conducting material; a fillingaperture centrally disposed on the upper super-posed member; sealingmeans composed of insulating material arranged at the peripheries ofsaid super-posed members; means for making electrical contact with saidupper super-posed member; means for making electrical contact with saidlower super-posed member, said super-posed members forming theconducting elements of a condenser and the contents of the receptacleforming the dielectric.

10. A receptacle as claimed in claim 6 in which the sealing meanscomprises a ring secured to a laterally extending flange of one of thesuperposed members.

11. A receptacle mounted so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis andcomprising in combination two super-posed disc-like members; a ringholding said disc-like members suitably spaced apart; driving means forrotating said receptacle; sealing means at the peripheries of thesuperposed members; means secured to one of the disclike members forpreventing relative rotation between the said disc-like members; acentrally disposed filling opening on said upper disc-like member; acentrally disposed boss on the lower surface of the lower disc-likemember having a conical recess and a vertical supporting and drivingshaft adapted to fit into said recess in the boss.

12. A receptacle as claimed in claim 11 in which is provided avertically extending flange on one of the disc-like members and springclips pivotally mounted upon an edge of the laterally extending flange,said clips being adapted to be swung into and out of contact with theother disc-like member and to secure and release the separable disc-likemembers.

13. A receptacle as claimed in claim 11 in which the clips are providedwith means for electrically insulating them from the disc-like members.

14. In a system for filling and testing constant volumes of material ina receptacle comprising super-posed discs spaced apart by electricalinsulating means and rotatable about a vertical axis, means forinserting the receptacle in an electrical circuit comprising incombination an insulating member adjacent to the periphery of thereceptacle; spring contact blades secured to upper and lower surfaces ofsaid insulating member in such manner that one blade projects over theupper disc and contacts therewith and the other blade projects under thelower disc and contacts therewith; terminals on the ends of the contactblades which are secured to the insulating member so that connectionscan be made with the electric circuit and changes in said circuitobserved with reference to a standard; said discs having sealing meanscomposed of electrical insulating material at their peripheries, afilling orifice at the centre of the upper disc and driving means forrotating the receptacle.

15. A receptacle mounted so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis andcomprising in combination two super-posed disc-like members suitablyspaced apart; insulating means holding said disclike members apart and afilling aperture provided in the centre of the upper disc-like member;driving means for rotating said receptacle; a ring encircling andslidingly engaging the pe ripheries of the disc-like members to formsealing means and a laterally extending flange upon which said ringadapted to engage with one of said disc-like members to hold the ring inplace when in its sealing position.

16. A receptacle mounted so as to be rotatable about a vertical axiscomprising in combination two super-posed conical members; memberssuitably spacing apart said conical members; a filling aperturecentrally disposed in said upper superposed member; means for rotatingsaid receptacle; a disc-like member adapted to slide vertically belowsaid conical members and adapted to contact with their peripheries toform sealing means; and means for moving said sealing means relative tosaid conical members. 7 r

17. A receptacle mounted so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis asclaimed in claim 16 in which the conical members are composed ofconducting material and the spacing means and the sealing means arecomposed of insulating material.

JOHN JOSEPH DOWLING. 20

